Coil lifter



June 26, 1956 Filed Aug. 13, 1953 R. C. PIERCE COIL LIFTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

R. C. PIERCE June 26, 1956 COIL LIFTER 2 SheetS -Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 13, 1953 27 4 INVENTOR.

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COIL LIFTER Robert (3. Pierce, Niles, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to National-Standard Company, a corporation of Delaware Application August 13, 1953, Serial No. 374,085

4 Claims. (Cl. 294-93) My present invention relates generally to lifting apparatus more particularly to a new and improved means for gripping a coil of wire or cable whereby the same may be lifted by conventional hoisting means.

In the program of fabricating wire and the like including cables, metal ribbons, etc. such materials are normally stored or made up in the form of annular coils which are secured by handing means for transportation to the point of use. It will be appreciated that such coils are necessarily cumbersome and heavy and as a result the problem of lifting and moving the same in and about a factory, onto transportation vehicles etc. is a troublesome one. Various devices are now known employing expansion systems whereby a core mechanism or the like may be inserted within the open hollow center of the fabricated coil and expanded to grip the interior side walls of the coil so that the same may then be lifted by a conventional hoist means.

It is to this general class of devices that my present invention pertains, but it will be appreciated from the description thereof which follows and the illustration of its preferred embodiment, as found in the accompanying drawings, that the same constitutes an advanced improvement over prior art devices of this class.

Briefly the coil lifter of my invention employs an inflatable annulus or tube member suitably attached to a supporting structure which embodies eye bolt means so that the annulus may grip a coil of wire etc. and the eye bolts may be hooked to a conventional hoist lift. Operation of the device is simplicity itself in that the annulus of the invention is inserted coaxially of the open center of the annular coil of wire or the like and then inflated to securely grip the coil thus providing a quick acting means for gripping the coiled wire.

The main object of my invention is to provide a new and improved coil lifter especially arranged and adapted to grip an annular coil of material and having means associated therewith whereby the same may be conveniently attached to a conventional hoist lift.

Another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved coil lifter for use with large annular coils of wire, cable or banding materials and in which inflatable means are embodied to provide a quick acting, positive gripping means for attaching my coil lifter to the article to be hoisted.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a new and improved coil lifter having a plural eye-bolt construction whereby a coil of Wire gripped by the lifter of my invention may be attached to a conventional hoist lift mechanism from at least two directions or points of attachment.

The above and further objects, features and advantages of my present invention will be appreciated by those familiar with the art from the description of its concepts which follows and from the illustration of its preferred embodiment as set forth in the accompanying drawings.

itc States Patent In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the coil lifter of my invention in operation with a coil of wire;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view showing an alternate position of operation for the coil lifter of my invention, the plane of the coil of wire therein being disposed horizontally as opposed to the vertical showing thereof in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 33 of Figure 1 showing portions thereof in full elevation to illustrate the features and elemental portions of my improved coil lifter; and

Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the rubber annulus or tube employed in my coil lifter showing the same in its expanded state to grip a coil of wire being hoisted.

From the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 particularly, it will be recognized that the lifter indicated generally by numeral 10, which comprises my invention, is arranged to unite with an annular coil of wire 11 and to fit within a central core opening thereof whereby the coil may be hoisted from place to place within a factory or the like by means of a conventional chain or cable hoist, indicated partially at 12. Further, it will be appreciated that the coil lifter of my invention is constructed to permit lifting of the coil while the plane of the coil is disposed in a vertical position as illustrated in Figure 1 or horizontally as illustrated in Figure 2.

Turning now to the specific features and elemental portions which comprise my improved coil lifter, reference is made to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. It will be understood from these two figures that my lifter 10 comprises two lifting bars 14 and 15 of which bar 14 is formed with a turned or goose neck portion 16 adjacent its one end. Lift bar 15, on the other hand is straight and related transversely to the major longitudinal axis of bar 14; such two bars being secured together as by welding or other suitable means. Both of such lifting bars, as shown, preferably comprise hollow tubing having requisite rigidity and ruggedness, as for example cold roll steel tubing or iron pipe. Eye or lifting rings 17 and 18 are provided at the outer end of each of the lifting bars; such eye-rings being welded or otherwise rigidly attached to their associated lifting bars.

The curved bar 14 is further provided with an opening 19 in its outer curved surface through which protrudes the stem portion 20 of a suitable valve means 21, for example a valve mechanism similar to that employed in an automobile tire tubes and the like. Such valve means includes a vent or let-off valve 22 which is arranged to be opened or closed for the purpose of discharging an annular rubber tube or annulus 23 employed with my lifter and supplied with pneumatic pressure via the valve means 21 and a tube or pipe system 24. The tube system 24 is disposed internally of the lift bar 14 and extends through the side walls of the second lift bar 15 immediately adjacent and below the eyerring 18 thereof. From thence it continues in a curved manner to its attachment with the rubber annulus 23 which co1nprises the inflationary gripping means of my invention.

In regard to the annular rubber tube 23, it will be appreciated that the same is provided with inner and outer wall portions 25 and 26 which are innerconnected in integral relation and preferably molded or otherwise suitably formed much as an inner tube for automobile tires or like. Further an annular bead ring assembly 27, .of a character conventionally employed in the tire industry, is provided at one end of the annular rubber tube for mounting the same with the structural support members of my lifter.

To support the annular rubber tube 23 and connect the same with the two lift bars 14 and 15, a fabricated metal plate structure comprising a head plate 28, annular or circular in plan, is provided; such being Welded coaxially and transversely of the longitudinal axis of lift bar 15 and immediately adjacent and beneath the second lift bar 14. A support drum structure 29 formed as a cylindrical wall of rigid material, such as plate steel or the like, is attached rigidly to the underside of the head plate 28. Drum 29 is formed with an annular inwardly extending shoulder at one end thereof which together with the juxtaposed head plate 23 defines a recess or groove 38 which receives the annular bead ring 27 of the inflationary gripping tube 23. In spaced parallelism with the head plate 28 and disposed at the opposite end of lift bar .15 from such head plate, is a second annular plate 31 which is attached by bolt means 32 to an annular collar 33 welded to the lower or adjacent end of the lift bar 15. The second plate 31 is welded preferably along its periphery to the inside face of the support drum 29. Further it will be understood that the annular tube member 23 resides exteriorly of the cylindrical support drum and is supported thereon.

When a coil of wire, such as cell 11 illustrated, is to be gripped or attached to the lifter of my invention, the procedure is simple and comprises by and large the insertion of the drum portion 29 and inflationary tube member 23 plus substantially the major portion of the one lift bar l radially inward of the annular core or open center of the wire coil. This initial operation is best illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. Once the drum construction of my coil lifter is mounted thusly within the open center core of the Wire coil, pneumatic pressure is supplied to the inflatable bag or tube member 23 via the valve mechanism 21 and the innerconnecting tubing system. inflating such bag or rubber tube causes the same to expand radially outward to grip securely both with radial pressure and friction the inside face of the fabric annular support ring or core 35 on which the coil 11 is layed. So secured to the wire coil, my lifter device and the wire coil may be lifted by placing a hook of the hoist lift 12 into either one of the eyerings 17 or 18 and lifting such according to conventional hoist practice. 1 The adaptability and versatility of my lifter will be appreciated from an examination of Figures 1 and 2 wherein it will be understood that depending on which of the two eye-rings is connected to the hook of the hoist, the coil of wire may be lifted with its general plane either vertically or horizontally as desired according to the circumstances and condition of operation.

it will be recognized from the above description of the elemental portions and concepts of my invention that l have provided a new, improved and simplified means for connecting a conventional hoist lift to annular coil of wire or the like, which includes an inflatable means that is most rapid and positive in securely gripping the coil of wire. Further, it will be understood that while I have herein shown the features of my invention as embodied in one preferred form thereof, the same is subject to modification, changes and substitutions of equivalents without departing from the spirit and scope of its inventive features. As a consequence, I do not wish to be limited to the specific form of my invention herein illustrated and described except as may appear in the following appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for attaching a conventional hoist means to an annular coil of wire and the like, comprising in combination, a cylindrical drum structure, a first bar means disposed coaxially of said drum structure and extending beyond one end thereof, a second bar means having a curved portion adjacent its outer end disposed and connected transversely to said first bar means outwardly of said drum structure, eye-ring means adjacent the outermost end of each of said bar means, an inflatable rubber annulus supported on the exterior of said drum, filling valve and tube connection means providing a system for inflating said rubber annulus, and vent valve means for rapidly exhausting pressurized fiuid from said annulus.

2. A device for gripping an annular coil of wire or the like, comprising a drum, inflatable bag means mounted concentrically about and expansible radially outward of said driun, plate means extending transversely of said drum and having a marginal portion projecting beyond the periphery of said drum and said bag means, valve means for attaching a source of fluid under pressure to said bag means to inflate the same, whereby said device is adapted to be disposed with respect to the coil of wire with the drum and bag means in the open core thereof and with the marginal portion of said plate means engaging one side of the coil of wire, and said bag means upon inflation thereof serving to grip the coil of Wire with outward radial thrust substantially along the walls of its core opening, vent valve means for rapidly exhausting fluid under pressure from said bag means, lifting means connected to said drum comprising a first bar having one end thereof fixed to said drum and extending coaxially of the axis of said drum, and a second bar having one end fixed to said first bar, said second bar having a first portion normal to said first bar and a second portion parallel with the axis of said drum and disposed outwardly of the periphery of the coil of wire, and means connected to the other ends of said bars for connection with the book of a hoist to support the coil selectively with its axis disposed horizontally or vertically.

3. A gripping device comprising, a drum having an annular inwardly extending shoulder at one end thereof, plate means extending transversely of said drum at said one end thereof and forming an annular groove with said annular shoulder at said one end of said drum, radially inflatable annular bag means mounted concentrically about said drum and having bead means at one end thereof disposed in the annular groove formed by said annular shoulder and said plate means for retaining said bag means in assembled relation to said drum, and valve means for attaching a source of fluid under pressure to said inflatable bag means.

4. A gripping and lifting device comprising, in combination, a cylindrical drum, an inflatable annular bag means supported concentrically on the periphery of said drum, filling valve means having connection With said bag means for attaching a source of fluid under pressure to inflate said bag means, vent valve means for rapidly exhausting fluid under pressure from said bag means, and means connected to said drum for engagement by a lifting mechanism to lift said device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,742,384 Fitzgerald Jan. 7, 1930 2,165,921 Duda July 11, 1939 2,237,427 Grau Apr. 8, 1941 2,348,309 Rohr May 9, 1944 2,486,489 McDerrnott Nov. 1, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 688,211 France May 12, 1930 

